College Basketball’s 351 Rosters Ranked By Average Recruiting Ratings

Source: Athlon Sports

by Eli Boettger – July 31, 2017

Oftentimes in college sports, games can be decided purely by the distribution of talent on the court or playing field. In college basketball, especially, the difference between the nation’s strongest and weakest rosters is as vast as any major sports league.

Using Verbal Commits’ database, which compiles recruiting ratings from ESPN, Scout and Rivals, I found the average recruiting rating for each of the 351 college basketball programs. The average takes into account each player that is currently listed on the team’s roster, based on Verbal Commits’ composite recruiting ratings.

The complete D-I rankings are below.

Rank

Team

Average Stars

2016-17 Record & Tournament Result

1

Kentucky

4.417

32-6

Elite Eight

2

North Carolina

4.139

33-7

National Champions

3

Syracuse

4.133

19-15

4

Kansas

3.986

31-5

Elite Eight

5

Arizona

3.949

32-5

Sweet 16

6

Texas A&M

3.944

16-15

7

Duke

3.933

28-9

Round of 32

8

Villanova

3.875

32-4

Round of 32

9

USC

3.821

26-10

Round of 32

10

UCLA

3.75

31-5

Sweet 16

11

Connecticut

3.733

16-17

12

Michigan State

3.733

20-15

Round of 32

13

Louisville

3.714

25-9

Round of 32

14

Texas

3.667

11-22

15

Stanford

3.564

14-17

16

Florida

3.542

27-9

Elite Eight

17

San Diego State

3.533

19-14

18

Auburn

3.528

18-14

19

Xavier

3.472

24-14

Elite Eight

20

Oregon

3.467

33-6

Final Four

21

Alabama

3.462

19-15

22

Mississippi State

3.439

16-16

23

Miami

3.438

21-12

Round of 64

24

Maryland

3.417

24-9

Round of 64

25

Ohio State

3.389

17-15

26

Cincinnati

3.37

30-6

Round of 32

27

Virginia Tech

3.354

22-11

Round of 64

28

Illinois

3.35

20-15

29

Indiana

3.333

18-16

30

Providence

3.333

20-13

First Four

31

SMU

3.333

30-5

Round of 64

32

Virginia

3.333

23-11

Round of 32

33

Nevada

3.313

28-7

Round of 64

34

St. John’s

3.313

14-19

35

Notre Dame

3.273

26-10

Round of 32

36

Georgetown

3.262

14-18

37

Gonzaga

3.262

37-2

National Runner-up

38

Georgia

3.259

19-15

39

Florida State

3.25

26-9

Round of 32

40

Marquette

3.25

19-13

Round of 64

41

Nebraska

3.242

12-19

42

Creighton

3.227

25-10

Round of 64

43

Northwestern

3.222

24-12

Round of 32

44

Vanderbilt

3.188

19-16

Round of 64

45

Purdue

3.167

27-8

Sweet 16

46

LSU

3.143

10-21

47

Washington

3.13

9-22

48

Clemson

3.125

17-16

49

Missouri

3.111

8-24

50

Temple

3.111

16-16

51

Brigham Young

3.095

22-12

52

NC State

3.083

15-17

53

Western Kentucky

3.083

15-17

54

Butler

3.056

25-9

Sweet 16

55

Seton Hall

3.028

21-12

Round of 64

56

Wake Forest

3.028

19-14

First Four

57

Michigan

3.021

26-12

Sweet 16

58

Penn State

3.014

15-18

59

Arizona State

3

15-18

60

Rhode Island

3

25-10

Round of 32

61

Wichita State

3

31-5

Round of 32

62

Oklahoma

2.972

11-20

63

West Virginia

2.962

28-9

Sweet 16

64

California

2.958

21-13

65

Oklahoma State

2.949

20-13

Round of 64

66

Wisconsin

2.939

27-10

Sweet 16

67

Dayton

2.938

24-8

Round of 64

68

Colorado

2.936

19-15

69

Tulane

2.917

6-25

70

Minnesota

2.9

24-10

Round of 64

71

Saint Louis

2.897

12-21

72

Massachusetts

2.889

15-18

73

New Mexico

2.875

17-14

74

Iowa

2.872

19-15

75

Oregon State

2.848

5-27

76

Iowa State

2.833

24-11

Round of 32

77

TCU

2.833

24-15

78

Baylor

2.817

27-8

Sweet 16

79

Tennessee

2.792

16-16

80

Fresno State

2.778

20-13

81

Texas Tech

2.778

18-14

82

La Salle

2.759

15-15

83

Ole Miss

2.75

22-14

84

VCU

2.75

26-9

Round of 64

85

Utah

2.733

20-12

86

UCF

2.717

24-12

87

DePaul

2.714

9-23

88

Boise State

2.708

20-12

89

Georgia Tech

2.667

21-16

90

UNLV

2.667

11-21

91

Harvard

2.658

18-10

92

Pittsburgh

2.653

16-17

93

Georgia State

2.641

20-13

94

South Florida

2.639

7-23

95

Saint Joseph’s

2.606

11-20

96

Kansas State

2.603

21-14

Round of 64

97

Florida Gulf Coast

2.6

26-8

Round of 64

98

Ball State

2.583

21-13

99

UL Lafayette

2.577

21-12

100

UTEP

2.556

15-17

101

Arkansas

2.542

26-10

Round of 32

102

Nicholls State

2.533

14-17

103

Rutgers

2.514

15-18

104

Long Beach State

2.5

15-19

105

Valparaiso

2.5

24-9

106

Weber State

2.5

20-14

107

Lehigh

2.485

20-12

108

East Carolina

2.476

15-18

109

UC Irvine

2.462

21-15

110

Rice

2.458

23-12

111

Washington State

2.458

13-18

112

Hofstra

2.452

15-17

113

UIC

2.45

17-19

114

Texas Southern

2.444

23-12

Round of 64

115

UAB

2.439

17-16

116

New Mexico State

2.424

28-6

Round of 64

117

Tulsa

2.423

15-17

118

IUPUI

2.417

14-18

119

Loyola Chicago

2.41

18-14

120

Princeton

2.41

23-7

Round of 32

121

Old Dominion

2.407

19-12

122

Jacksonville State

2.405

20-15

123

Memphis

2.4

19-13

124

Oakland

2.393

25-9

125

Kent State

2.385

22-14

Round of 64

126

Hawaii

2.375

14-16

127

Southern Miss

2.375

9-22

128

Duquesne

2.369

10-22

129

Saint Mary’s

2.367

29-5

Round of 32

130

Ohio

2.364

20-11

131

Houston

2.361

21-11

132

Toledo

2.359

17-17

133

Pepperdine

2.357

9-22

134

Richmond

2.357

22-13

135

Northern Arizona

2.352

9-23

136

UC Riverside

2.352

8-21

137

Cal State Northridge

2.333

11-19

138

Charlotte

2.333

13-17

139

San Jose State

2.333

14-16

140

Utah State

2.333

15-17

141

Boston University

2.319

18-14

142

Grand Canyon

2.315

22-9

143

San Francisco

2.315

20-13

144

Colorado State

2.313

24-12

145

UNC Wilmington

2.31

29-6

Round of 64

146

Green Bay

2.308

18-14

147

Buffalo

2.306

17-15

148

Davidson

2.306

17-15

149

South Carolina

2.306

26-11

Final Four

150

Pacific

2.3

11-22

151

Samford

2.3

20-16

152

George Washington

2.296

20-15

153

Montana

2.295

16-16

154

Detroit

2.292

8-23

155

Northern Kentucky

2.288

24-11

Round of 64

156

Northern Illinois

2.286

15-17

157

Belmont

2.282

23-7

158

Northeastern

2.282

15-16

159

Wyoming

2.282

23-15

160

Chattanooga

2.278

19-12

161

Coastal Carolina

2.278

20-19

162

George Mason

2.278

20-14

163

Loyola Marymount

2.278

15-15

164

Utah Valley

2.278

17-17

165

Vermont

2.264

29-6

Round of 64

166

Miami (OH)

2.262

11-21

167

American

2.25

8-22

168

Bowling Green

2.25

13-19

169

ETSU

2.238

27-8

Round of 64

170

Bradley

2.233

13-20

171

Monmouth

2.233

27-7

172

Cal State Fullerton

2.222

17-15

173

Fort Wayne

2.222

20-13

174

UC Santa Barbara

2.217

6-22

175

Texas-Arlington

2.214

27-9

176

Murray State

2.208

16-17

177

Louisiana Tech

2.205

23-10

178

Cal State Bakersfield

2.204

25-10

179

Eastern Kentucky

2.194

12-19

180

Florida International

2.194

7-24

181

William & Mary

2.183

17-14

182

Drake

2.182

7-24

183

Fordham

2.182

13-19

184

Georgia Southern

2.182

18-15

185

Incarnate Word

2.182

12-17

186

UTSA

2.179

14-19

187

Austin Peay

2.167

11-19

188

College of Charleston

2.167

25-10

189

Indiana State

2.167

11-20

190

Northwestern State

2.167

13-16

191

Stephen F. Austin

2.167

18-15

192

Drexel

2.154

9-23

193

South Dakota

2.154

22-12

194

South Dakota State

2.154

18-17

Round of 64

195

Southeastern Louisiana

2.154

16-16

196

Towson

2.154

20-13

197

Liberty

2.153

21-14

198

Eastern Michigan

2.152

16-17

199

Pennsylvania

2.148

13-15

200

Santa Clara

2.143

17-16

201

San Diego

2.141

13-18

202

Little Rock

2.139

15-17

203

Delaware

2.136

13-20

204

Morehead State

2.136

14-16

205

Dartmouth

2.133

7-20

206

Western Michigan

2.131

16-16

207

Yale

2.13

18-11

208

North Dakota

2.125

22-10

Round of 64

209

St. Bonaventure

2.125

20-12

210

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

2.125

24-12

211

Southern Illinois

2.121

17-16

212

High Point

2.115

15-16

213

Manhattan

2.115

10-22

214

New Orleans

2.115

20-12

First Four

215

Portland

2.115

11-22

216

Central Michigan

2.111

16-16

217

Florida A&M

2.111

7-23

218

Omaha

2.111

18-14

219

South Carolina State

2.111

11-20

220

Southern

2.111

15-18

221

UNC Asheville

2.111

23-10

222

Illinois State

2.106

28-7

223

Columbia

2.105

11-16

224

Cal Poly

2.103

11-20

225

Eastern Washington

2.103

22-12

226

North Texas

2.103

8-22

227

Air Force

2.1

12-21

228

UMBC

2.1

21-13

229

Boston College

2.095

9-23

230

Elon

2.095

18-14

231

Idaho

2.095

19-14

232

South Alabama

2.095

14-18

233

Alabama State

2.091

8-23

234

Niagara

2.09

10-23

235

Colgate

2.083

10-22

236

Longwood

2.083

6-24

237

Texas-Rio Grande Valley

2.083

10-22

238

Wagner

2.083

16-14

239

Wright State

2.083

20-12

240

Albany

2.077

21-14

241

Cleveland State

2.077

9-22

242

Holy Cross

2.077

15-17

243

Maine

2.077

7-25

244

Missouri State

2.077

17-16

245

Siena

2.077

17-17

246

Tennessee State

2.077

17-13

247

The Citadel

2.077

12-21

248

UC Davis

2.077

23-13

Round of 64

249

UMKC

2.077

18-17

250

Winthrop

2.077

26-7

Round of 64

251

Youngstown State

2.077

13-21

252

LIU Brooklyn

2.074

20-12

253

Middle Tennessee

2.071

31-5

Round of 32

254

St. Peter’s

2.071

23-13

255

Presbyterian

2.063

5-25

256

Rider

2.063

18-15

257

Milwaukee

2.05

11-24

258

Radford

2.05

14-18

259

Sacramento State

2.05

13-18

260

Alabama A&M

2.045

2-27

261

Furman

2.045

23-12

262

UNC Greensboro

2.044

25-10

263

Binghamton

2.042

12-20

264

Hampton

2.042

14-17

265

Northern Iowa

2.042

14-16

266

Appalachian State

2.038

9-21

267

Bucknell

2.038

26-9

Round of 32

268

North Florida

2.038

15-19

269

Portland State

2.038

15-16

270

Stetson

2.038

11-21

271

Wofford

2.038

16-17

272

Alcorn State

2.037

18-14

273

Northern Colorado

2.037

11-18

274

Bryant

2.028

12-20

275

North Carolina A&T

2.028

3-29

276

Montana State

2.026

16-16

277

Abilene Christian

2

13-16

278

Akron

2

27-9

279

Arkansas State

2

20-12

280

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

2

7-25

281

Army West Point

2

13-19

282

Bethune-Cookman

2

10-22

283

Brown

2

13-17

284

Campbell

2

19-18

285

Canisius

2

18-16

286

Central Arkansas

2

8-24

287

Central Connecticut State

2

6-23

288

Charleston Southern

2

12-19

289

Chicago State

2

6-26

290

Coppin State

2

8-24

291

Cornell

2

8-21

292

Delaware State

2

10-22

293

Denver

2

16-14

294

Eastern Illinois

2

14-15

295

Evansville

2

16-17

296

Fairfield

2

16-15

297

Fairleigh Dickinson

2

11-19

298

Florida Atlantic

2

10-20

299

Gardner-Webb

2

19-14

300

Grambling State

2

16-17

301

Hartford

2

9-23

302

Houston Baptist

2

17-14

303

Howard

2

10-24

304

Idaho State

2

5-26

305

Iona

2

22-13

Round of 64

306

Jackson State

2

14-18

Round of 64

307

Jacksonville

2

17-16

308

James Madison

2

10-23

309

Kennesaw State

2

14-18

310

Lafayette

2

9-21

311

Lamar

2

19-15

312

Lipscomb

2

20-13

313

Louisiana-Monroe

2

9-24

314

Loyola (MD)

2

16-17

315

Marist

2

8-24

316

Marshall

2

20-15

317

Maryland Eastern Shore

2

14-20

318

McNeese State

2

7-22

319

Mercer

2

15-17

320

Mississippi Valley State

2

7-25

321

Morgan State

2

14-16

322

Mount St. Mary’s

2

20-16

Round of 64

323

Navy

2

16-16

324

New Hampshire

2

20-12

325

NJIT

2

11-20

326

Norfolk State

2

17-17

327

North Carolina Central

2

25-9

First Four

328

North Dakota State

2

19-11

329

Oral Roberts

2

8-22

330

Prairie View A&M

2

13-20

331

Quinnipiac

2

10-21

332

Robert Morris

2

14-19

333

Sacred Heart

2

13-19

334

Sam Houston State

2

21-13

335

Savannah State

2

13-16

336

Seattle

2

13-17

337

SIUE

2

6-24

338

Southeast Missouri State

2

15-18

339

Southern Utah

2

6-27

340

St. Francis (PA)

2

4-27

341

St. Francis Brooklyn

2

4-27

342

Stony Brook

2

18-14

343

Tennessee Tech

2

12-20

344

Texas State

2

22-14

345

Troy

2

22-15

Round of 64

346

UMass-Lowell

2

11-20

347

USC Upstate

2

17-16

348

UT Martin

2

22-13

349

VMI

2

6-24

350

Western Carolina

2

9-23

351

Western Illinois

2

8-20

Two teams (Syracuse and Texas A&M) rank in the top 10 in average roster recruiting rating but missed the tournament this past season. Connecticut, Texas and Stanford are also among the top teams that will hope to return to March in 2018.

Only three programs (Kentucky, North Carolina and Syracuse) average a four-star recruit or better on their respective rosters. A total of 75 teams enter the 2018 season without a player ranked higher than a two-star recruit.

Every conference, besides D-I independents, has at least one player ranked higher than a two-star in its league. The ACC leads the way with an average rating of 3.29 stars, then comes the Big East (3.16), Big Ten (3.13), SEC (3.07) and Pac-12 (3.03). The highest-rated non-power conference averages include the Atlantic 10 (2.49), Mountain West (2.46) and WCC (2.34).